This invention relates to document binders. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved system and method for binding multiple edges of calendars or similar items with slides.
Slides for binding a margin of a calendar, poster, and the like are known in the art. A slide is generally an elongate strip of metal which may be folded or crimped one or more times onto the margin of an item, such as a calendar or poster. The slide may have a tab attached at a midpoint thereof so that the item may be hung by the tab at a desired location, such as on a wall. Examples of slides are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,906,024 and 2,042,912, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Attaching a slide to the margin or edge of a calendar, poster, or the like, is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctinningxe2x80x9d. Tinning calendars is an economical means for finishing calendars that are commonly used by companies for advertising purposes. Also, it is advantageous to tin other hanging documents, such as posters, maps, and training guides, so that they may hang neatly and be easily moved from one location to another.
In many situations, it is desirable to tin both the bottom and top edges of a calendar, poster or other item. The slide along the top edge of the item generally includes a tab or hook for hanging, while the slide along the bottom edge of the item does not generally include a tab. The slide provided along the bottom edge acts as an anchor, or weight, whereby the calendar or poster will hang flatly when mounted on a wall or other support. Because calendars are commonly used as promotional items and are shipped in a rolled configuration within a tube, the bottom slide advantageously helps to overcome the curl inherently induced in a calendar from being stored or shipped in a rolled configuration, once the calendar is removed from the tube
Another advantage of having slides on both the top and bottom edges of a calendar is the ease with which such calendars may be handled in a stack. The edge of a calendar with a slide is typically much thicker than the remainder of the calendar. Thus, when dozens or hundreds of calendars having only a single tinned edge are stacked one upon another in a similar orientation, the portion of the stack corresponding to the tinned edges of the calendars is significantly higher than the untinned portion, thereby producing an uneven stack which is difficult to maneuver, ship or handle. One possible solution to this problem is to alternate the orientation of successive calendars, but this requires manipulation of at least fifty percent of the calendars and introduces further inefficiency into the production process. In contrast, a supply of calendars having slides on both the top and bottom edges can be stacked more neatly and without requiring reorientation of the calendars in the stack.
Certain prior art machines for tinning have been fully automatic or semi-automatic so that large numbers of slides per hour may be applied to individual calendars. One such tinner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,194 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The ""194 patent shows a calendar tinner which automatically supplies a metal strip from a roll of metal to a first folding mechanism which automatically folds the metal strip longitudinally. A calendar then is automatically fed into the folded metal strip, whereafter the metal strip is cut to the width of the calendar to form the slide. The slide is then automatically crimped upon the calendar to sandwich the calendar therein. Thereafter, the slide is automatically folded a second time to produce a second bend which is then automatically crimped back upon itself to complete the tinning process.
Other automatic and semi-automatic tinners are also available from the assignee of this invention. The Stuebing Automatic Machine Company provides, for example, the Calamatic Metal Edger into which a calender is fed either manually or automatically and the edger automatically crimps the slide upon the calendar. Also, the Stuebing ACF-24 or ACF-32 systems automatically feed the slides and calendars and crimp a slide to each calendar. Machines of this type can tin over 20,000 slides per eight-hour shift and are generally used by those who wish to tin large volumes of materials.
Such automatic or semi-automatic machines are intended for large capacity production. Nevertheless, tinning both the top and bottom edges of a calendar requires processing each calendar twice through the tinner. As a result, overall production volume is typically cut in half. This inefficiency is highlighted during peak calendar production periods. Calendars are typically seasonal items and producers or suppliers must meet demands in a timely fashion. Therefore, an inefficiency which reduces production by fifty percent during such peak demand periods is even more problematic. Moreover, increased labor costs often require that the tinning process be conducted by a single operator for efficient and economical production of calendars, posters and the like.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and associated method for efficiently and effectively tinning multiple edges of calendars, posters, or other items in an economical and acceptable manner for mass production without detrimentally impacting the quantity or quality of output or increasing labor requirements.
These and other objectives of the invention are achieved with an improved system and method for tinning top and bottom edges of an item, such as a calendar, poster, or the like, while still maintaining desired production output levels. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system includes two automatic or semi-automatic tinners, such as the Calamatic Metal Edger, ACF-24 or ACF-32 systems, each commercially available from the Stuebing Automatic Machine Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. One tinner applies a slide to a first or top edge of each of a supply of items, such as calendars, posters, or the like. Each item is then serially discharged from the first tinner onto a conveyor or transferring apparatus. The leading edge of each item discharged from the first tinner has a slide. The conveyor system automatically transfers each of the items to a second tinner for automatically tinning the opposite or bottom edge of each item. Advantageously, the conveyor feeds each successive item to the second tinner in an orientation wherein the leading edge entering the second tinner is the bottom, or untinned edge, which requires the slide. Accordingly, operator involvement for the transfer of each item between the first and second tinners is not required to automatically process and tin the calendar on both the top and bottom edges thereof.
The present invention thus provides a system and associated method for automatically tinning spaced top and bottom edges of a calendar, poster or the like with state of the art semi-automatic and/or automatic tinners utilized in series with a conveyor for transferring and orienting each of the serially processed calendars, posters or the like between the two tinners. Advantageously, operator involvement is not required to process each of the calendars between the first and second tinners. Because each calendar is only processed once through the system, production output is not diminished and an operator is not required to collect each of the calendars after the first tinning operation, reorient each calendar, and input them into the second tinning machine for tinning on the opposite spaced edge thereof.